Wentzell v. Chester
Wentzell v. Chester
Opinion of the Court
This is an action of trespass to try title to lot 4 in block 404, Baker’s addition to the city of Houston, north side of Buffalo Bayou, Harris county, Tex., originally brought by appellants, Frank Wentzell and Ella W. Wentzell, against Ella W. Chester and her husband, W. W. Chester. Ella W. Chester died pending the suit, and the case 'proceeded against W. W. Chester, sole devi-see under her will. Anna Jankowski, and in some of the pleadings and other parts of the record called Anna Yankowski, is the agreed common source of title. Appellants claim title by deed of purchase from Anna Jankow-ski, dated July 10, 1913. Appellees claim title by two separate deeds of gift, first, October 25, 1912, second, November 25, 1912, from Anna Jankowski. The ease was tried before a jury, and submitted upon special issues. Upon their findings the court entered a judgment for defendant W. W. Chester.
The charge of the court and the issues submitted quite clearly indicate the issues of fact presented by the pleadings and proof, and we think we need not more fully state them.. The charge and the answers to the issues submitted are as follows:
“(1) The court submits this ease to you upon special issues, which you will answer as you find the fact to be in regard to each of such special issues hereinafter submitted to you, on a separate sheet or sheets of paper, numbering your answer to correspond with the number of the issue submitted, being guided by the charge herein as to the law which the court gives you as applicable to the issues herein.
“(2) The. mental condition of a party making a deed which would render a deed invalid and void is such condition of mental weakness as renders the party at the time incapable to understand what he or she is doing and the effect of his or her act, as the case may be. If a person, though sick and physically weak, is nevertheless possessed of sufficient mental capacity to understand what he or she is doing, and is capable of forming the intent to make and deliver a deed, and knows the effect thereof, such person in the meaning of the law, is of sound mind, and a deed made under such circumstances is valid and conveys title. If a person is not possessed of that degree of capacity stated above, to convey the title to such party, the deed conveys no title. Every person is presumed of sound mind until the contrary is shown.
“(3) Concerning the question of what is essential to the delivery of the deed, you are instructed as follows: That question is generally one of intention, and if a party signs and acknowledges a deed, and the officer by whom the acknowledgment is taken hands it over to the grantee (that is, the party to whom it is made) in the presence of the grantor (that is, the party making it) with such party’s knowledge, and the grantor makes no objection, that is delivery in law. If Anna Jankowski made the deed of October 25, 1912, or. made the deed of November 25, 1912, to Ella Chester, intending thereby to convey to her (the said Ella Chester) title to the property, and the notary, with the knowledge of Anna Jankowski,' handed the deed to Ella Chester after it was executed, and she, the said-Anna Jankowski, made no objection, then that was delivery within the meaning of the law. If Anna Jankowski did not intend to deliver the deed to Ella Chester, or did not intend that it should be delivered to her so as to convey title, then the fact that it came into the possession of Ella Chester would not make the delivery complete, and there would be no delivery in law.
“(4) Upon the question of undue influence, you are charged that by undue influence is meant that there is brought to bear upon the mind of the party signing the instrument such influence as was sufficient to overthrow her will and induce her to make an instrument that she did not intend to make and would not have made but" for such influence, and would not have done if left to herself. Pérsuasion or entreaty or argument or solicitation- does not constitute undue influence sufficient to set aside a deed, unless it is shown to have subverted and overthrown the will of the grantor and caused her to do that which she did not desire or. intend to do.
“(5) The burden of proof is upon the plaintiffs by a preponderance of the evidence to establish nondelivery of the alleged deeds from Anna Jankowski to Ella Chester of dates October 25, 1912, and November 25, 1912, respectively, mental incapacity to execute said deeds, or that undue influence, as that term has been heretofore defined, was exercised by the defendants, or either of them, upon Anna Jankowski to induce her to make the deeds.”
In response to the issues submitted, the jury found and returned the facts to be as follows:
(1) Anna Jankowski executed the deed to *306 the property In controversy to Ella Chester on or about October 25, 1912.
(2) Anna Jankowski intended by the deed of October 25, 1912, to convey the title to the property in question to Ella Chester.
(8) At the time of the execution of the deed of October 25, 1912, Anna Jankowski was of sound mind and capable of making a deed, as that term is defined in the charge of the court.
(4) Anna Jankowski delivered the deed of October 25, 1912, as delivery has been defined in the charge of the court.
(5) The defendants, nor either of them, exercised undue influence on Anna Jankow-ski to induce her to make the deed of October 25, 1912, conveying the property in question to Ella Chester, as undue influence is defined and explained in the charge of the court.
(6) Anna Jankowski at the time of executing and delivering the deed of October 25, 1912, was not under the influence of beer or whisky to such an extent that she did not know and appreciate the nature and effect of her act.
(7) Anna Jankowski executed the deed to the property in controversy to Ella Chester, of date November 25, 1912.
(S) At the time of the execution of the deed of November 25, 1912, Anna Jankowski was of sound mind, and capable of making the deed as that term has been defined in the charge.
(9). Anna Jankowski delivered the deed of November 25, 1912, to Ella Chester, or it was delivered to her in the presence and with the knowledge of Anna Jankowski and without objection on her part.
(10) Anna Jankowski intended by the deed of November 25, 1912, to convey the title to the property in question to Ella Chester.
(11) The defendants did not exercise undue influence on Anna Jankowski to induce her to make the deed of November 25, 1912, conveying the property in question to Ella Chester as undue influence is defined and explained in the charge.
(12) Anna Jankowski on July 10, 1913, was of sound mind and capable of making a deed as that term is defined and explained in the charge. On the twelfth issue the court instructed that the burden was on defendant Chester to establish the negative of the issue by a preponderance of the evidence.
(13) Frank Wentzell is the father of Ella Chester.
(14) The defendants Chester have occupied the property in question since July 10, 1913.
(15) The reasonable rental value of the property in question from July 10th to the time of trial is $10 per month. The court charged the jury that they were the exclusive judges of the facts proved, the credibility of the witnesses, and the weight to be given to the testimony¡ but the law they were bound to take from the charge given them, and be governed thereby.
Appellee objects to a consideration of any of appellants’ assignments of error, because they do not conform to the rules governing in the preparation of cases for submission in Courts of Civil Appeals. Appellants’ motion for a new trial covers 117 pages of the record, and is divided into five paragraphs or subdivisions, each paragraph covering more than one subject.
The appellants in their assignments in the brief make no pretense to copy the corresponding paragraph or portion of the paragraph in the motion for a new trial to which they refer. It would serve no good purpose to show the reasons why the 25 assignments in the brief do not distinctly specify grounds of error, as required by the rules.
The case is affirmed.
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Reference
- Full Case Name
- WENTZELL Et Al. v. CHESTER Et Al.
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published